DRUNK DRIVER KILLS SLEEPING BOY—FAMILY FIGHTS FOR JUSTICE
JerseyTalks StaffAn Egg Harbor City man pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter after crashing into a parked car and killing a sleeping child.
Edward Johnston, 25, was drunk and driving 107 mph when he lost control on Absecon Boulevard at 3:35 a.m. on July 23, 2023. He struck a vehicle where a Philadelphia father and his two sons were preparing to leave a fishing trip.
Javier Velez, asleep in the back seat, was trapped by the impact and died at the scene. Johnston’s blood-alcohol level was over 1.5 times the legal limit.
Three months later, he was charged and jailed, but a judge released him—a decision upheld on appeal. The ruling sparked protests by Javi’s family and efforts to change the law, including an online petition and legislative testimony by his mother, Kaylah Smith.
Johnston’s plea deal includes a 15-year sentence under the No Early Release Act, requiring him to serve at least 12 years and nine months before becoming eligible for parole. But the question on everyone's mind remains: 15 years for a child’s life—Is that justice?